Exiled... Again

Quran 50

"That makes sense... plus it gives up some time until Breeze gets back with the truck..." Beaux said reaching for the first box and passing it to me and I passed it to Joseph. "What's your problem with me?" Beaux asked after thirty boxes. "It's like from the moment you got here, you've been giving me dirty looks and talking shyt about me." Beaux said.

"I'm protecting my cousin... even if that means protecting him from himself. I know Jacobi and he doesn't think things through... granted he's grown a lot since last summer but when it comes to you... I see temptation for Jacobi and I don't want him reverting back to his old ways." I said honestly. "When I got here last summer, Jacobi was dating this dude name Jerell, but he was still fuckin with August on the side...I don't like that nigga Jerell and I'm glad Jacobi is done with him... I just don't want him falling into old habits."

"You think I'm trying to take Jacobi from August?" Beaux asked and I shrugged. "Man you got it all twisted, if anything it's them.. BOTH of them doing a damn good job of seducing me, I've tried fighting it but... they're a deadly combination." Beaux said.

"I'm just looking at the risk... as I've said, I'm protective of my cousin and sometimes I need to protect him from himself." I said. "It's like... I've been gone for a few months and in that entire time, no one has mentioned you at all... I just feel like they were trying to hide you from me and I'm a suspicious nigga, so when I got here and you were just there..... I put my guard up, because I don't know why you were such a secret." I said.

"Really? All I heard about when I got out was Quran this, and Quran that.... They made you seem like a God.... Look I can't speak for them, but have you ever stopped and thought that the reason they didn't tell you about me is because they were actually more concerned about what you had going on?" Beaux asked, looking back... most of the conversations I had were focused on me and my well-being even when I tried to talk about them."They care about you... and they were missing you like crazy."

"Oh my god, can y'all niggas stop sharing your feelings like some females and get back to work?" Joseph asked causing me and Beaux to look at each other. We got through half the books by the time the sun went down and when Pappy called it a night. "What does he mean he'll see us tomorrow?"

"Obviously it means we're not finished and we gotta come back tomorrow to finish getting the rest of these boxes." I said sarcastically.

"I got shyt to do tomorrow so I can't come back...." Joseph said and I was really growing tired of this nigga....

"Aww you're not coming tomorrow?" Breeze asked walking into the kitchen and Joseph's whole mood shifted... niggas.....

"I mean I would like to, but I'm kinda busy... but if you want I don't mind coming back, I'll just have to move my schedule around a little bit." He said giving her a smile that I've seen numerous times... Semaj gives me that exact smile when he's trying to fuck and usually I fall for it...

"Please don't tell me you're trying to get at my cousin...." Beaux said shaking his head.

"What? Weren't you just fuckin my cousin earlier?" Joseph asked as we got back into the car, I didn't like the dude but he definitely had a point. "Besides, I'm not trying to fuck your cousin... I'm trying to wife her.... and then fuck her." Joseph said and despite my feelings toward him I couldn't help but laugh.

"Fuck you nigga...." Beaux said finally cracking a smile. "Y'all trying to get something to eat? It's the least I can do after y'all helped me today...." Beaux said and I didn't have to be asked twice. Under normal circumstances, I would've wanted to go home and shower but I honestly didn't have the energy, I just wanted to get our food and smash.....

"We look fuckin ridiculous...." Joseph said and I could help but agree; he was wearing skinny jeans and a graphic t-shirt that had gotten ripped while were moving boxes, Beaux was wearing a beater and some basketball shorts, while I was wearing slacks and a button-up that was stained in sweat (I knew I should've changed but I didn't think I would be moving boxes). We looked crazy as fuck but I couldn't help but laugh because I really didn't care.

Once we reached our table, we all pulled out or phones and started doing whatever... the silence between us was awkward, but it wasn't as awkward as it was in the car when we first left Jacobi's it was... different.

"I gotta ask... why were we moving all them boxes, Pappy didn't seem to happy so what's going on? If you don't mind telling me." I said and Beaux lowered his phone.

"My great-grandpa is old, like really fuckin old... he lost all his children and his wife, he's been in that house for damn near fifty years and my family doesn't like him staying there by himself. I've been staying there with him along with Breeze but we both got our own shyt going on and well.... We just decided that it's better if he stays with my aunt. That place needs a lot of work so we're clearing it out so we can get some renovations done... he's stubborn, set in his way.... but he finally agreed to let us do some MINOR improvements." Beaux said.

"I hope you don't think I'm going to be helping with these 'minor' improvements." Joseph said without looking up from his phone. "Not unless Breeze is going to be there...." He added. I started laughing, even Beaux smirked but Joseph was dead serious, which made it even funnier. "Y'all laugh, but one thing about us Cunningham men... we know when we've found our soulmate."

"Whatever..." Beaux said waving him off. It took forever for our food, which meant I was filling up on drinks and needed to go to the bathroom after about twenty minutes. While I was making my way through the crowded restaurant I accidentally bumped into this dude, I apologized and kept it moving but obviously, that wasn't good enough for him....

"Ayy you just scuffed my shoes, you're going to have to run me some bread or something..." One of the dudes said and I started laughing, he must be smoking if he thought I was going to pay him for scuffing some shoes that looked like they had been through some things.

"Accept the apology I offered and keep it pushing.... I'm really not in the mood tonight." I said refusing to show fear to any of these niggas, there were three of them... an easy win for me, if I was being honest.

"Damn Equannis, you gonna let this nigga talk to you like that?" One of the dudes said instigating the situation... Equannis, I knew this dude.... his cousin was coo with Jacobi and Semaj but his cousin wasn't in this little group.

"Kyndel, you already know how I am... I'm about to slide this nigga if he doesn't run me my bread...." Equannis said right before he was laying on the floor looking up at the ceiling. The other two tried to help and I'll admit, the dude Kyndel was hanging in there with me, which gave the third dude a chance to get some shots in but that didn't last long because Beaux and Joseph busted into the restroom and jumped in without hesitation.....

"Did y'all at least get some to-go boxes?" I asked as we sped away from the restaurant after leaving the three of them slumped in the restroom.

"Of course, why do you think it took so long for us to get in there?" Joseph asked smirking. "But I think it'll be for the best if we don't tell my cousins what happened, you know they like to overreact and I don't feel like hearing their mouths...." Joseph said, he was seriously underestimating Semaj, I don't think he would trip... in fact, I'm almost certain he'd be ready to go find them dudes for a rematch.... But I would keep my mouth shut just for tonight and depending on how things go tomorrow maybe we can build on this little bond that was forming and the fight would be the first secret that the three of us shared............

****** QUESTIONS ******

1) Who should get the next two chapters; Nazeer, Semaj, Luciano, or De'Vaugh?